


Old Habits Die Hard

by Cubrey



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Ending, Alternate Universe, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-23
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-07-01 12:46:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15774396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cubrey/pseuds/Cubrey
Summary: --- S P O I L E R   W A R N I N G ---If you have not finished the manga (or anime, depending on the time you stumble across this fic) and wish to avoid spoilers, then do NOT continue reading. Feel free to come back here once you finished Banana Fish or when you don't care about spoilers anymore.If you continue reading...Ash survives the attack and follows Eiji to Japan to live somewhat like a normal life. One day Ibe-san takes the boys to Tokyo where they overhear some members of a colour gang mentioning Banana Fish. Torn between trying to have a normal life and finding out what brought Banana Fish to Japan, Ash and Eiji struggle with their different world views, ambitions, their future, past and present. Will Ash fall back into old habits and joins one of Ikebukuro's colour gangs? And will he manage to keep Eiji safe?





	1. Start of Something New

“How are you?” Ash asks as he sees that Eiji is finally awake. It has been seven weeks since Eiji left New York. Six weeks and three days since Ash went to Osaka. Luckily Sing found him in the library and brought him to a medic so his wounds could be treated properly. Still some kind of a miracle that Ash survived the attack and is recovering well. “I’m good.” Eiji mumbles half asleep. He had to spent another week in hospital when Ibe-san and he arrived back home in Japan but finally he is doing better now, too. “Okay, then get up sleeping beauty.” Ash responds. He has been staying at Ibe’s place since he arrived and Eiji spent most of his time here instead of with his family. The trip to New York, all the violence, all the crimes, all the deaths and meeting Ash have changed Eiji. He feels like he is a different person now, a person his family does not really recognize. So being with them feels wrong because they do not understand the new Eiji but Ibe-san certainly does. He has not seen his family in six days, although they do not live far away from Ibe-san’s place. “C’mon, get up already, we’re getting out of town today.” Ash says excitedly. In fact, neither of them has left Osaka since they arrived here. Ash spent some time outside of Ibe-san’s house and strolled around the city but does not find Osaka that interesting. Probably because he went for sightseeing on his own because Eiji took more time to recover than Ash and so he was mostly sleeping or visiting his family. Luckily for Ash, Ibe-san suggested to take the two to Tokyo for the day because he has work to do there. Eiji agreed to join the two, despite not knowing how is going to be on said day. “You promised to join, so get up or we’ll be late.” the American says. Ash is clearly not that patient today and rather has the excitement of a kid on Christmas. He has changed, too. Here in Japan, far away from his past and struggles, he can let go to some extend at least and act like a “normal” teenager. Being with Eiji makes things easier for him and now since he left the states he feels like he is not suffocating anymore. “I’m up. I’m up.” Eiji says as he sits up on the bed the two sleep in. Ash is already dressed for the day and throws a shirt towards Eiji, who is still too tired to catch it with his hands so the shirt lands on his face, which causes a smile on Ash’s face. “Breakfast is ready in five mins, be ready by then.” the blonde says as he leaves the room. Eiji yawns as he takes on the shirt Ash, more or less, suggests him to wear.

 

“Six minutes and 38 seconds. You’re late.” Ash says when Eiji enters the kitchen. “<Sorry>. Why are you so impatient anyway?” Eiji says, still too tired to stick to English only, so he mixes it with Japanese. Ash hands him a coffee as he explains: “We’re going to Tokyo today. That sounds a lot more interesting than Osaka. Besides, I’ve never been to Tokyo before.” Eiji drinks out his coffee, takes on his shoes and jacket, picks up a sandwich, which Ash made for him, from the plate and heads towards the door, leaving Ash and Ibe-san with confused looks at the dining table. “What? I thought we’re late?” the Japanese says after taking a bite from the sandwich, which makes it harder for the other two to understand. However, they still manage to get what Eiji just said and leave the house. The train from Osaka to Tokyo takes almost four hours, which the boys spend mostly sleeping. Ibe-san is working on his laptop when Ash eventually wakes up shortly before they arrive. “What kind of business do you have to do in Tokyo? Taking shots of gangs again?” he asks. “No, no. There is an opening ceremony of a new company. They hired me to take pictures of the event.” Ibe-san explains. Ash looks out of the window and as soon as he sees the skyline he wakes up Eiji and both of them now stare at the huge skyscrapers of the city. “<Next stop, Tokyo central station>” a computer generated voice says and the three of them find themselves in Tokyo at last. Ibe-san heads off to the ceremony and Ash and Eiji decide to grab something to eat in Shibuya.     

 

The big crossing in Shibuya overwhelms Ash. Too many people, too many noises, too many possible threats. He is tensed, his jaw clenched. Eiji knows this look far too well, all of Ash’s alerts are on right now. If one of the thousands of people would intend to harm the two, Ash would immediately spot this person and would come up with a plan to either escape this place or destroy the person. Ash is ticking like a time bomb. “Ash, are you good?” Eiji asks. Ash nods but does not change his mood at all. Finally they reached the the ramen restaurant. It is rather small, not many people are in there and they all seem like innocent tourists. Ash lets out a deep breath and unclenches his jaw. Eiji is relieved because Ash finally seems relaxed again. The main purpose of bringing Ash to Japan was to let him have some peace at last. He deserves it so much, after all this trauma he has been through. Eiji is sure that Ash has not told him all the horrors he experienced but Eiji does not want to know everything in detail. The stories Ash has told him and the stuff they had been through together in New York was enough for Eiji. “Guess you’re having this natto dish.” Ash says as he reads the menu. Eiji smiles but shakes his head. “I’m having soy ramen. And you?” he explains. Ash shows him the menu and points at number 72, the extra spicy ramen. “That overdose on mustard must have made you immune to spiciness.” Eiji laughs. “Probably.” Ash responds. Eiji orders for them and they chat a little while they are waiting for the noodle soups to be served.

“So Ei-chan, how many times have you been to this place?”

“I told you not to call me Ei-chan. I’m older than you. But it’s my first time here.”

“You’re first time in Tokyo?”

“Ah… no. It’s my eight but my first at this restaurant.”

“What? You’re taking me here without knowing if the food is all that good?” Ash jokes.

The waiter comes and serves their ramen. “Well, now you can try yourself. <Bon appetite>” Eiji says. “Itadaki-what? Jeez, I really need to catch up on my Japanese when I want to stay here.” Eiji nearly chokes: “You want to stay here? For how long?” “Don’t know. Long enough to learn the language.” Ash responds. Eiji is surely relieved knowing that Ash will not leave as soon as he is fully recovered. To be honest, they never talked about how long Ash will stay with Eiji, although Eiji secretly wished that the two of them will remain together forever. “Ei-chan, you have really good instincts. You could lead a gang, a ramen restaurant gang.” Ash jokes. “Hey, I told you not to call me Ei-chan.” he defends. “And I thought we left this whole gang thing in New York.” Eiji sighs. “<I’m sorry> Eiji. That was meant to be a joke… Where do we go next? A shrine? Shopping? A museum?” Ash tries to lighten up the mood. Eiji starts thinking. Ash really enjoys reading and literature. He gets out his phone and googles where a library or a literature museum is. Bingo! “How about the Mystery Literature Museum in Ikebukuro?” Eiji suggests. “Sounds good.” Ash agrees and the two head for the next station to go to Ikebukuro.

 

When they leave the museum it is already dark outside. “Jeez, I never pictured Japanese literature to be that interesting.” Ash comments when they step out of the building. Eiji adds: “To be honest, me neither.” They giggle a little as they walk through the streets of Ikebukuro. “Hey Eiji, is it true that this is the most dangerous district of Tokyo?” Ash asks suddenly. “It’s said to be but I have never been here before. Don’t know if that’s true.” Eiji says. Ash takes precise looks at the streets, even more precise ones at the dark ones. Ikebukuro can be seen as the Downtown of Tokyo with colour gangs ruling the city. One can spot their alliance with a colour gang on a certain piece of clothing or accessory. Within five minutes Ash recognises six boys with green hats, four with yellow belts and even 17 with red shoes. His alerts are on again because Eiji and him are surrounded by potential dangers. Ash came to Japan unarmed and has not bought any weapon, not even a sharp knife, since he arrived. If someone decides to attack them Ash would have to defend them with his bare hands. “Hey Ash.” Eiji interrupts Ash’s thoughts. “Huh?” “No one knows us here, no one is going to attack us. Don’t worry.” Eiji tries to calm Ash down. The American puts on a smile and says: “Yeah, you’re right Eiji.” After a couple of minutes they reach a park. There are not many normal people on the streets anymore. No pupils, mothers, business men. In the park is a clock. It is 22.15 o’clock. It is probably too late to be around here at this point of time but now they are here anyways. Eiji’s phone rings, it is Ibe-san. “<Hello?... in an hour?... Ikebukuro station?... Yes, yes, we’ll take care… Bye.>”

“Was that Ibe-san?”

“Yeah, he’s gonna be here in one hour to pick us up.”

“Okay, wanna have a drink in the mean time? You’re twenty now and since I look older than you the bar tender would assume that I’m 25 at least.”

Eiji agrees and so they head to the next bar that does not look like a gang hide-out. Of course Eiji gets IDed and Ash not, just as expected. Both of them have their drinks. One whisky for the American and a light beer for the drinking-inexperienced Eiji. “Urgh… Whisky in New York definitely tastes better than here.” Ash comments the brown liquid in his glass. Eiji, whose cheeks already turned red, cracks a smile towards Ash. “But you can drink it, although I wouldn’t order it again.” Ash continues and takes another sip. After a few minutes Ash’s ears catch the words “Banana Fish”, he immediately turns around to see who said it. There are two men, around the age of 16, probably older since Asians can look younger than they are, see Eiji, both of them wear a yellow belt: gang members for sure. He turns around to Eiji and whispers: “You see the two guys over there in the corner? Can you tell me what they’re talking about?” Eiji nods, turns his ear into their direction and listens to the conversation: “<Where can you get this new drug Banana Fish? Heard it’s from the states.>” – “<No clue where to get it but apparently it messes with your brain.>” Then he turns back to Ash: “It’s here. Banana Fish arrived in Japan.” he tells Ash, who is clearly shocked. Ash came all the way to live a normal life and to leave his past behind but now it catches up with him, after six weeks and three days only. “You okay?” Eiji asks even though he can tell that Ash is clearly not okay. Ash does not responds and simply gets up without saying a single word. Instead of that he heads towards the door. “Where are you going?” Eiji asks as he follows Ash to the door. “Outside.” he responds. “Ibe-san’s going to be here any minute.” Ash walks fast towards the park in front of them. Eiji has a hard time catching up with Ash as his wounds have not fully healed yet. Ash stops and sits down on a bench, when Eiji arrives the Japanese seems exhausted. “Ash... Are you… Are you okay?” he asks while trying to catch his breath. Ash stares at his feet. There are plenty of thoughts running through his head. He surely wants to know more about these guys and where they got the information from. He has been chasing Banana Fish for quite a while now, excessively in the last year. So many people were hurt or died along the way. And then there is Eiji next to him, who still suffers from the bullet he took. Eiji… the reason he came to Japan, to start a new life here. Ash feels that his eyes are filling with tears but before any can stroll down his face he wipes them away. “Eiji, can I ask you a favour?” Ash finally breaks the silence. “Sure. What is it?” Eiji responds. Both of them know what Ash is going to ask. Ash wants to go back to the two guys and ask what they know about Banana Fish but since he lacks in Japanese Eiji would have to join him to translate. “Never mind.” Ash then concludes, which leaves Eiji surprised because he already made up his mind how to approach the guys in the bar but in the end he is fine with sticking out of trouble for once in the past year.

 

Suddenly Ibe-san arrives at the park to pick them up. “Hey you two, everything alright?” He could spot the concerned looks from afar. So when Ash replies with the fakest smile and a: “Of course we’re fine.” Ibe-san is clearly surprised but he chooses not to ask any further questions. If they do not want to talk about anything it is fine for him. After all, Ash can look out for himself pretty well and his precious Ei-chan has changed a lot in New York. “Sorry that it’s gotten so late. I booked us a hotel so we don’t have to go back to Osaka tonight. Maybe we can do a little sightseeing tomorrow, if that’s alright with you.” The adult explains to which Ash and Eiji agree. In the hotel room Ibe-san gets out his laptop to edit the photos he took today. Eiji, who became pretty interested in photography since he met Ibe-san, sits down next to him and watches him editing the images. Ash lays down on the sofa and tries to find a TV channel in English or at least with English subtitles. After pressing a few buttons he finds one of these weird Japanese game shows but it is subtitled at least. “You guys sure have a weird taste in entertainment.” He comments. Eiji sits down next to Ash to watch the show with him. Sometimes he even starts to giggle. “And that’s the proof.” Ash states. After a while the giggling next to him stops and he turns his head to check on Eiji, who has fallen asleep. “Ibe-san Eiji fell asleep. I’m taking him to bed and call it a day, too. Night.” Ash says as he gets up, lifts Eiji on his arms and brings him to bed. When he changes Eiji’s clothes he takes a look at the wound from the shot. It has not healed completely yet. But the wound is not the only souvenir Eiji got from America, there are plenty of smaller scars from minor injuries. Mostly cuts, like from the time they first met. Eiji jumped over that huge wall, landed in glass but in the end he saved Ash. Ash sits down next to Eiji and whispers to himself: “Damn, I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to drag Eiji into any more shit, nor do I want to be dragged into it again. After all, I came here for somewhat like a normal life. But then, we did all this stuff, we lost so many… Skip, Shorter, Griff… I can’t walk around here acting like nothing happened. All of their deaths would be worthless then. What is a normal life anyway? If someone or something could only give me sign to tell me what to do, that would be a lot easier… Maybe if we go back to Ikebukuro tomorrow I will find this sign. I just need Ibe-san to take us there again tomorrow.” Ash lays down next to Eiji but spends most of the night staring at the ceiling thinking. Eiji in contrast sleeps in heavenly peace. Ash assumes that this calmness is caused by exhaustion and not by inner peace. But this night is the first night in Japan in which Eiji does not wake up from a panic attack. Ash often pretends that he is sleeping, just as Eiji does when Ash is crying in his sleep. It is kind of their way. “In the end, we’re branded anyway…” Ash thinks to himself before closing his eyes at last.                                               


	2. Follow The Signs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ash manages to convince Ibe-san and Eiji to head back to Ikebukuro for the day. The sign he was looking for is to be found there. Besides the fact that Banana Fish is now also in Japan, there are other things from New York that haunt Eiji.

Since Ash spent most of the night without any sleep, he is already awake when the sun rises. As soon as the first sun ray falls into the hotel room Ash rolls over to Eiji and stares at the sleeping boy next to him and waits until he wakes up. Two hours pass and Eiji is still asleep when Ash hears footsteps from the living room where Ibe-san slept. Ash gets out of bed carefully so he does not wake up Eiji and goes to the living room. “Ah good morning Ash. Are you up already?” Ibe-san greets him when he enters the room. “Yeah.” responds the teenager with tired eyes. Ash knows that he has to play it cool when he wants to go back to Ikebukuro today. In the past years he has always done what he wanted, more or less. He never had to ask an adult whether they would allow him to go to a certain point of the city. But now in Japan it is different. Ibe-san will make sure that Ash stays out of trouble and going to Ikebukuro sure means trouble. So Ash needs a good reason that Ibe-san will take him to Ikebukuro. Telling Ibe-san that colour gangs are speaking about Banana Fish is a no go, for sure. Ash needs an alibi. He gets his phone out, opens the map app and looks for a reasonable place to visit, something Ibe-san would agree on. The Sunshine Aquarium sounds good. “Hey, Ibe-san, you have any plans for today?” Ash asks to which Ibe-san shakes his head. “Do you?” he asks Ash. Ash puts on his most charming face and tells: “Ah you know, yesterday I saw a sign of the Sunshine Aquarium, which looks really good. Maybe we can go there today… please?” Ibe-san does not guess where Ash is coming from so he replies with: “Sure. Why not? If Ei-chan is good with it, too.”

 

Okay, Ibe-san is safe, the only one who could mess up Ash’s plan is Eiji. Ash needs to wake him up and convince him to agree on going to the aquarium so he heads back to the bedroom. “<Good morning> Ei-chan. Time to wake up” Ash says is a slightly singing voice, as he lays down next to Eiji. “Don’t call me Ei-chan.” mumbles the boy who just put the blanket over his head to protect his tired eyes from the sunlight. “Sorry Eiji, please get up. It’s 9a.m. already.” The Japanese under the blanket mumbles something that Ash does not understand but finally Eiji gets up with his hair being messier than ever before, which causes a smile on Ash’s face. “What?” Eiji wonders. “It’s nothing… just comb your hair.” Ash replies, still laughing a little. Suddenly the expression on Ash’s face changes from amused to serious and Eiji immediately knows what this means: Ash has a plan. “You wanna go back to Ikebukuro, don’t you?” Busted. Eiji spent so much time with Ash that he can read him like a book. Ash actually planned on lying to Eiji and telling him how amazing the aquarium is because he thought that Eiji might not want to go back to Ikebukuro. But now that Eiji could easily spot Ash’s intention there is no sense in lying to him anymore. “Yeah. Told Ibe-san that the Sunshine Aquarium looks cool. Maybe we find something about Banana Fish and…“ before Ash could finish his sentence Eiji interrupts him: “Let’s go there.”

At the aquarium Ibe-san takes a few shots of the fishes and everything, while Ash and Eiji make up their minds on how to get more information about Banana Fish, when suddenly a small painting catches Eiji’s attention. It is a banana next to a fish, too obvious to be true. “Hey Ash, see that?” he says as he points to the painting. “What about it? It’s a banana and a fish. Too obvious.” Ash replies. But then he looks around the room and sees another painting of the exact same fish with its mouth pointing to a door, which says “Staff Only”. Ash looks out if any staff of the aquarium is in the exhibition room, luckily none are there so the two of them sneak into the staff room. It is messy, filled with carton boxes, plastic boxes and smelly fish food. “What do we do now?” Eiji asks in a nasal voice because he covers his nose with his hand to avoid the smell. “Look for something, anything. Computers, papers, more fish paintings, whatever.” Ash says as he has already opened six carton boxes without any success though. Eiji does so but cannot find anything useful either. The room is so small and packed that the Japanese eventually crashes a storage rack accidentally, when taking a step back. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to do this.” he apologises. “Eiji, you are a genius!” Ash says because he sees a door with another fish painting that was hidden behind the rack. The door leads outside to a backyard, lots of trash bins and containers are there and immediately the two start looking for fish paintings again. There are no doors, besides the one that leads to the staff room there so they must find another way or hint.

“Ash, there is a small fish on the container with its mouth pointing upwards.”

“Okay, so we must go up. The mouth is a way marker.”

“But how? There is no ladder here.”

“Then we must climb.”

Ash says and points to a small, probably instable, scaffold. Ash runs up to it and jumps onto it. It clatters loudly when he sets his feet on the shaking scaffold. Then he kneels down offering Eiji a helping hand, which Eiji denies. Ash gives him a confused look. “C’mon, I used to jump higher than that.” Eiji states. “But your injuries…” Ash is concerned. Eiji smiles, takes a few steps back and then starts running, jumps and lands next to his friend. Then they climb on the rooftop of the aquarium where no more fish signs are to be found. “Dead end.” Ash says frustrated but Eiji does not give up that easily. There must be a hint, it may not be on the rooftop but maybe it can be spotted from here. Eiji looks around and there it is: a fish painting on an advertising panel. “Ash, we need to go there.” Eiji says as he points at the panel. “Eyes of an eagle, huh?” Ash jokes as he is looking for a way to get there. Since there is no ladder on this building they have to jump on another rooftop, climb down, pass a few more or less creepy streets and then they arrive in front of the advertising panel.  

 

“So Mr. eagle eye, where do we go now?” Ash asks. Eiji checks all walls, windows, doors, street lights, signs, basically everything if he spots another fish sign. “There!” he says pointing at a rather ordinary blue door, which has a super small fish painted on it. As the two of them approach the door, their hearts begin to beat faster. Are they going to close this Banana Fish book or are they just turning the page, starting a new chapter? Ash opens the door. It is a gang hide out, it has to be one. Behind the door is a small pub with dirty yellow walls. Ash counts 26 people in it, all of them wearing yellow belts. Suddenly one of the 26, their leader probably, stands up and says: “<Ash Lynx, so you followed the signs. Welcome.>” Ash is clearly confused since he hardly speaks any Japanese, so Eiji translates for him. “<And who do we have here? Ei-chan?>” the leader continues and Eiji translates again. As soon as the leader mentions Eiji Ash’s heart begins to beat faster. “Eiji, ask him who is and what he knows about Banana Fish, then we’ll leave.” he says with anger in his voice. Eiji nods and talks with the leader.

“<Uhm… Who are you?>”

“<They call me Kisho.>”

“<Kisho means the one who knows his mind, doesn’t it?>”

“<Yes, yes, second-born son. What have brought you here?>”

“<What do you know about Banana Fish?>”

“<Not much, just that it’s a drug from the States that makes one lose their sanity.>”

Eiji turns around to Ash and whispers in his ear: “They don’t know more than we do. Let’s leave.” Ash nods and the two of them turn around to leave the hide out, when suddenly Kisho raises his voice again: “<Tell me Ash and Eiji, would you like to join us and solve the questions that Banana Fish brings up?>” and Eiji translates once more. “<We’ll think about it.>” he then says and they leave the yellow belt hide out. “Dammit!” Ash shouts as he smashes his hand at the next street sign he finds. Eiji looks worried at him. He can clearly sense Ash’s struggles. There is nothing much to say to Ash that will comfort him, Eiji thinks, so he walks up to Ash, lays his hands around the American and hugs him from behind. “No matter what I’ll got your back. I’ll be with you.” he says as he lays his chin on Ash’s shoulder. These words hit Ash like bullets. It is in fact nice to know that there is someone who wants to be with you, no matter how hard the seas are but then he does not want that Eiji will get hurt again or worse. “What are you thinking about?” Eiji asks with his head still on Ash’s shoulder. Ash sighs, elaborating whether and what to tell Eiji. But before Ash can say a single thing Ibe-san comes around the corner. He does not look to pleased, guess he has been looking for the two for hours. “<Sorry> Ibe-san, I felt dizzy and Ash took me outside to get some fresh air.” Eiji explains. Suddenly Ibe-san’s facial expression changes and he seems much more relieved.

 

The three of them head back to the central station to catch their train back to Osaka. Once they have arrived at Ibe-san’s place he prepares dinner, while Ash and Eiji are sitting in the living room talking quietly about what happened in Tokyo.

“Hey Ash, why don’t we give it a try?”

“Pardon?”

“The Yellow Belts. It can easily tell that you want to know what has brought Banana Fish to Japan.”

“True but it’s not that easy Eiji. We can’t trust those people.”

“Then we should go back soon to learn more about them…”

“Yeah, but how can we go back with Ibe-san watching our backs?”

“I’ll think of something…”

“Hey Eiji?”

“Huh?”

“Never mind. I think dinner’s ready.”

 

Ibe-san serves katsudon for dinner, which Ash never had before and even Eiji’s last time must have been two years ago. Since all of them are exhausted from the trip to Tokyo there is not much talking at the dinner table. However, Ibe-san breaks the silence when talking about a phone call he just had when he prepared dinner. “By the way Eiji, your parents called. They’re wondering when you’re coming home again.” Eiji rolls with his eyes. He has 67 missed calls and 29 unanswered texts on his phone. Since his return to Osaka his family has become super protective and would love to have Eiji staying with them much more. “I am in Osaka, doesn’t that count as home?” Eiji asks not even trying to hide the fact that he is annoyed. “Eiji, you know what I mean.” Ibe-san says in a calm voice, which causes Eiji to roll his eyes again. “<I know>. It’s just that I don’t wanna stay there.” he argues.  Ash watches the talk interestedly. Funny how Eiji acts like a teenager who is not allowed to go to the hottest party in town when he is told to leave Ibe-san’s place. Ibe-san’s place is far from anything like a cool party. More like a cheap library that only has crime novels, photography stuff and bad TV programs to offer. “I think you should spend the night at home.” Ibe-san suggest, to which Eiji replies with a short “Fine.” After Eiji could leave the hospital he only spent eight nights with his family, the other ones at Ibe-san’s house with Ash.

 

After dinner Eiji grabs his bag and walks over to his family’s place, which is only three blocks away. The last time he has been home he forgot his keys so now he has to knock the door. His overall caring mother opened the door and said: “<Eiji, I’m glad you’re staying here again.>” in relief. Eiji remains silent. He heads straight to his room, unpacks his bag and then he goes to the bathroom to fill the bathtub, when his father stands in the doorframe. “<Eiji, I know America must have been impressive. But could you please stick to the norms and morals we taught you here? You can’t spend all your nights away from home. We are worried about you Eiji.>” his father lectures. “<When I was at college you didn’t know where I spent my nights either. So what’s the deal now?>” Eiji responds. His father is a little upset because Eiji never used to do such things as staying someplace else for nights, neither did he talk so impolitely to his parents. In fact, Eiji’s childhood has been a lot different than Ash’s. His parents raised both of their children well, always treated them with respect and were caring and supportive. “<Ei-chan, your mother and I have been worried sick since Ibe-san called us and told us that you have been shot. Don’t you understand that we want you to be safe?>” his father explains. “<I am safe. And don’t call me Ei-chan, I’m not a child anymore.>” Disobedient behaviour towards his family has never been one of Eiji’s character trades so his father is kind of shocked about his son talking in that way. When the bathtub is filled with water Eiji takes off his shirt, his father is still standing in the doorframe and stares at the wound and the other scars on his torso, shoulders, arms and hands.

“<Ei-chan… Eiji, tell me what happened in New York.>”

“<I took a bullet, as you already know.>”

“<That explains one wound. What happened to your left arm?>”

“<I fell on glass.>”

“<Why?>”

“<Because there was no mat. Are you going to watch me taking a bath?>”

“<No, no.>”

Then his father leaves the bathroom. Eiji lays his head back on the edge of the bathtub and starts thinking. He cannot tell his parents about everything that happened in New York. All the kidnapping and being taken hostage. About what Ash has done or what has been done to Ash. Not about Skip or Shorter. They would not understand. They probably cannot image that little Ei-chan not only held but also fired a gun. One could say Eiji left the comfort zone set up by his family and grew up. When he finishes the bath he goes to his bedroom because he wants to avoid any interaction with his family. It is not that he hates them or anything. He just fears that the truth might hurt them, that they do not allow him to see Ibe-san or Ash anymore. When he put on his pyjamas his sister enters his room. “<Are you going to bed already Eiji?>” she asks. Eiji did not know his sister was at home since she found work in Kyoto. “<Yeah, I’m pretty tired.>” he says. His sister sighs. She is the person who knows her brother best, well by now Ash must have overtaken her but still. “<Eiji, don’t you wanna tell me what happened in America? Promise, I won’t tell mum and dad.>” Eiji stares at his hand for a solid minute before he answers: “<I doubt that any of you will understand.>” His sister simply nods as if she understood him and leaves the room. Eiji turns the lights off and tries to catch some sleep.

 

However, his sleep does not last long. At 2a.m. he wakes up from a nightmare. He cannot even tell what it was about, all he knows is that it leaves him with panic. He has been having those every night in which he cannot stay with Ash. “<Ash, where are you?>” Eiji cries out. His mother is wakened by the noise that comes from her son’s room and runs to it. As she sees the crying boy in his bed she hold him in her arms and tries to comfort him, no success though. “<Shhh… Eiji, everything is going to be alright. You’re at home in Osaka. You’re safe.>” she says in a soft voice, still holding her son in her arms. Eiji’s heart in beating fast, even faster are his breaths, he is sweating but his skin is icy cold and pale. “<Clear sign of post-traumatic stress disorder.>” his father says when he approaches Eiji’s bedroom. “<Tomorrow we will take him to a psychologist.>” After a while Eiji has settled his breath, it is still fast but he is not hyperventilating anymore. His mother still holds him in her arms, her shirt is soaked with her son’s sweat and tears. “<I am sorry.>” Eiji says as he jumps up and runs to Ibe-san’s place. He rings the doorbell as if it was an alarm. Ash has not slept yet so he looks through the peephole and as he sees that Eiji is ringing the bell he opens the door. Instead of saying anything Eiji falls around Ash’s neck and Ash replies with a hug to show Eiji some comfort. It is the first time that Ash had to react to one of Eiji’s nightly panic attacks. “It’s alright. I won’t let anybody hurt you.” Ash says in the softest and calmest voice ever before he bring Eiji to bed and does not let go of his hand all night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your kudos, comments and the love in general. I will try to finish the next chapter as soon as possible :)


	3. New Anchors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max comes over from America to visiti Ibe-san, Ash and Eiji in Osaka. He has not only brought some souvenirs with him but also a very interesting information for Ibe-san. While he shares it with Shunichi, the two boys consider their next move in solving the question of Banana Fish, which later leads them back to Ikebukuro.

When Ash wakes up it is already noon. Eiji is still asleep and still holding Ash’s hand. The American carefully lets go of Eiji’s hand and goes to the kitchen, where Ibe-san is preparing lunch for three. “You knew that Eiji is here?” Ash asks as he sees the three plates on the table. Ibe-san is clearly surprised as one can tell from his expression. He did not know that Eiji was staying at his place again because he went home after dinner. “Ei-chan is here?” he asks. Ash cracks a little smile. “He doesn’t like to be called Ei-chan.” Ash says. Then his face turns all serious and sad. “When he came here he was all panicked…” Ibe-san now looks worried, too. Panic attacks are nothing new. The first days back in Japan, the first days when Ash has not arrived yet, were filled with panic attacks. When Eiji was in hospital then to have his wounds treated he would have those every day. He had nightmares, cried, his heart was beating fast, cold sweat was dipping from his forehead. Ibe-san knows it all too well. However, the amount of those attacks reduced when Ash arrived in Japan and the first thing he did was visiting Eiji in hospital. He caught him right in a panic attack when he entered the room, so Ash hugged Eiji, he held him in his arms until he felt better. Although, Eiji does not have that many attacks anymore, there are still times when they overcome him and Ash is always there to calm Eiji down. “So, who’s the third plate for then?” Ash asks. “Oh, didn’t I tell you? Max is coming today.” Ibe-san explains. Ash has not seen Max since he brought him to the airport to fly over to Japan. That was nearly two months ago. Without any further talking Ash takes a fourth plate out of the cupboard and places it on the table, fork and knife next to it. As the table is set up for four Eiji enters the kitchen, still looking rather tired. “<Good Morning> Eiji. Are you feeling better today?” Ash asks. Eiji nods even though Ash could easily spot the exhaustion on Eiji’s face.

 

Just when Ash and Eiji have changed Max rings the doorbell. “Ah Max. How was your flight?” Ibe-san says as he opens the door to greet his friend. “Shunichi!” Max says and opens his arms to give Ibe-san a hug. “Listen, we need to talk without any listeners. It’s about Banana Fish.” Max whispers in Ibe-san’s ear, while they hug. Ibe-san is shook and gasps. Ibe-san truly wished to leave the whole Banana Fish episode behind and move on in peace, no violence, no crimes, no hurt, no deaths. He is dying to know what Max has to tell him but with Eiji and Ash being in the living room and chatting with Max, Ibe-san has to remain patient a little while longer. Max has brought a few presents with him. A shirt with the Stature of Liberty print for Ash, a snow globe with the New York skyline inside for Eiji and fine bottle of whiskey for Ibe-san. “Jeez, your presents are pathetic.” Ash comments as he takes the shirt out of the gift bag. “I thought it might fit but if you don’t like it you can give it away.” Max sighs. Ash takes the shirt on and shakes his head. “No, no, I’m keeping it. Thank you.” Perhaps he likes it more than he would confess. Eiji opens a small box and takes out the snow globe. He turns it on its head and watches the little snowflakes fall onto the skyline with big eyes. “Like a kid on Christmas, huh?” Max jokes as he sees the Japanese shaking the snow globe again.  After they had lunch Ibe-san shows Max around the city, while Ash and Eiji stay at Ibe-san’s place.

“So Max, spit it out.”

“What? Your lousy dish? Just kidding.”   

“Banana Fish. What do you know?”

“I heard one of Dino’s men talking about Banana Fish being sent to Japan.”

“Dino? Ash told me he died.”

“True, but someone else has taken over the mafia and is now in his position. Don’t ask me who. Have never seen him before nor does his name ring a bell.”

“Damn, just hope the boys will stay out of it. I wish Ash a normal life that’s why I invited him here.”

“I see…”

Meanwhile at Ibe-san’s place Ash is scribbling something on a piece of paper, while Eiji is watching TV, still shaking the snow globe every now and then. The college block on Ash’s lap has a table on it, the two columns say “Pro Yellow Belts” and “Con Yellow Belts” and arguments written below that. “Damn!” Ash lets out frustrated and rips the page off the college block and throws it into the bin. “What’s wrong?” Eiji asks. “Uh… nothing.” Ash replies. He folds his hand over his head and stares at the ceiling, elaborating whether going back to Ikebukuro is really worth it. Considering the fact that Ash actually came to Japan to stay out of trouble, to have the chance to go to school, make friends, have fun, live a teenager’s life, it would be absolutely pointless to get involved with Banana Fish again. On the other hand he is dying to know why it came up again, why it is a thing in Tokyo now. While Ash is lost in his thoughts, Eiji is reading the sheet of paper without Ash noticing it at all. “Pro… All I know is being a gang leader, that’s all I’m good at. Con… I need to leave Eiji behind to keep him safe…” Eiji reads out. “Ash you’re far more than just a gang leader. You’re the smartest, most charismatic and most fascinating person I ever met. Don’t limit yourself to only being a leader of a street gang.” These words tear Ash out of his thoughts. When he threw the paper into the bin he did not think about Eiji picking it up to read it. Of course he could have known better. After all it is Eiji. Ash lets out a sigh. “You really think I’m more than that? Then tell me, who could I be.” Eiji thinks about Ash’s question for a short moment, not longer than twelve seconds: “With your IQ, looks and skills you can become everything. You could go to university and afterwards you get a high position in any job you can imagine and you’ll make lots of money with it.” Ash shakes his head and leaves the room with Eiji following him. “Hey Ash, did I say something wrong?” he wonders. Ash shakes his head again and keeps on walking to the bedroom. “Ash, what’s wrong?” Eiji asks again. “It’s nothing!” Ash shouts before slamming the door behind him, leaving Eiji standing in the corridor.

When Ibe-san and Max arrive at Ibe-san’s place Ash still has not come out of the bedroom yet. Eiji is still in the corridor, sitting in front of the bedroom door. They have not talked in the meantime, although sometimes one could hear a little cry from the other side of the door. Max walks into Eiji when he has one of those little cry outs. “Hey Eiji, are you okay?” Max asks the Japanese. Eiji wipes the tears out of his face and puts a fake smile on instead. He does not want Max to worry about him. He actually wants no one to worry about him. But he in fact is worried about Ash and his strange behaviour. “It’s nothing, don’t worry Max.” Eiji lies. Suddenly the bedroom door opens and Ash steps out, eyes red from crying. “We had an argument about what I’m going to do here. It’s just that I never imagined to have a normal life and now it’s kinda overwhelming.”  Ash explains. The expression on Max’s face is concerned, Ash had grown to him to be somewhat like an own son or younger brother at least and in the past year he often felt responsible for supporting Ash. This has not changed yet so Max thinks about Ash’s future. “You know Ash, you’re the smartest and most talented kid I’ve ever known. There’s a whole world out there.” Max suggests. “I know.” Ash says. He is kind of annoyed by all the positive words Eiji and Max just told him. Choosing a career is the least favourite thing Ash thinks about at the moment. Right now there is only one thing on his mind: going to Ikebukuro or not. And all those options ahead of him are currently out of question. A few nights back he told himself that he needs a sign to tell him what to do and he found that signs, to be honest he found several of these fish signs, which led him to the yellow belts. Still, it is so hard to decide what to do…

At night Ash wakes Eiji up, who is sleeping next to him. “Hey Eiji, wake up. We gotta go.” he whispers into Eiji’s ear. Eiji is wide awake right away and just nods. The two of them sneak out of the house, they pass Ibe-san’s bedroom and even cross the living room without making any noises so Max does not wake up. It is 3a.m. when they get on the night train to Tokyo. The train is almost empty and the few people on it are not even scary, not like the creepy old guys on the night trains to New York. The air condition is on although it is rather cold already. As Ash notices the small goose bumps on Eiji’s skin he offers him his jacket but Eiji denies. Instead of that they sit next to each other, nearly cuddling to keep the other warm.  

“Tell me Ash, what has changed your mind?”

“I was looking for a sign. That fish. It was it.”

“What’s your plan once we’re back in Tokyo?”

“As you said, go back to get to know these guys. Maybe they haven’t told us everything yet.”

“Perhaps…”

“Sorry to drag you in again but I need your help with translating. As soon as my Japanese is good enough you can go back to Osaka.”

“Am I still bothering you that much?”

“No, that’s not the case. I just want you to be safe…”

 “I’ll stay by your side Ash.”

The last words hit Ash like knives. That was Eiji’s promise back in New York and even though he was hurt so much he is still keeping it. As Eiji says these words Ash holds him a little closer. Eiji is the purest soul Ash has ever encountered in his entire life and that is why he wants to protect him so bad. When Ash feels a head lying on his shoulder he turns his head down to find out Eiji has fallen asleep peacefully. Ash watches Eiji breathing in and out, his chest rising up and down with each breath as his lungs fill with air. “How can Eiji be so calm tonight when he had a panic attack the night before?” Ash thinks to himself. Ash sure is amazed at how Eiji always picks himself up when he is down. Not only himself, basically everyone, like he picked up Ash. If Ash’s super power was killing people with one shot, then Eiji’s would be to lighten up every person around him, even the darkest souls. And so Ash hold the Japanese a little closer to himself.

 

They arrive in Tokyo at 7a.m. Eiji’s family, Ibe-san and Max must be still sleeping since no one texted or called Ash or Eiji to ask them where they are at. Perfect, that gives them a little more time to investigate without any interruption. When they step out of Ikebukuro station is does not look like the most dangerous district in town. Probably because all the fellas are resting, sleeping, hiding somewhere. The streets are filled with businessmen getting to work or students heading to school. Even when they go back to the hide out of the Yellow Belts no one is there, completely empty. “What do we do now?” Eiji wonders. Ash gazes around the room and then sits down on a barstool. “Gang members don’t sleep all that long. We sit here and wait until one of them shows up.” Ash explains. Without any further words Eiji walks round the room and looks at every small detail, instead of sitting down on the barstool next to Ash. Suddenly a letter, which is laying on one of the tables catches Eiji’s attention. “You found anything?” Ash asks. Eiji nods and opens the envelope. Ash walks to Eiji but he cannot read a single thing written in the letter, since it is only in hiragana and katakana. After Eiji finished reading the words Ash asks: “What does it say?” Eiji swallows and then says: ”The sender is a man named Acerbi.” with a shaking voice. Ash thinks about if he has ever heard this name before but he cannot remember anyone with the name Acerbi. “He writes that he wishes to expand the consume of Banana Fish in Asia, starting in Japan.” Eiji continues with his voice shaking even more than before. Then Eiji stops translating but Ash is sure that there is written more than that. However, he senses that Eiji does not want to keep on translating and so Ash does not continue asking. He knows that Eiji will tell him once he feels like it but still Ash is dying to know what the letter says. As Eiji is still shaking Ash decides to hold his hand to comfort him and it works, after another twenty minutes Eiji continues speaking. “It also says that the addressee shall do anything possible to keep troublemakers, such as Ash Lynx, away, even if that means killing him or his precious samurai boy Eiji Okumura.” Ash is shocked. People wanting to kill him is nothing new to him but people talking about taking Eiji’s life still upsets him. Eiji is scared, Ash could easily tell that from his shaking body and the facial expression. He holds Eiji in his arms now, telling him that he will not let anybody hurt him ever again. “I know.” Eiji says “But I don’t want you to be hurt or worse either. If it goes down I need to defend myself, so you can focus on saving your own life.” Ash is surprised by Eiji’s determination. Eiji sounds all serious, he is not like the insecure boy he first met in New York anymore.

At 8a.m. Kisho enters the hide out, Ash turns towards him as soon as he senses someone opening the door. “<Good morning Ash Lynx and Eiji Okumura.>” he says. Ash gives Kisho an angry look because he has not told them everything he knows. “<Who is Mister Acerbi?>” Eiji asks the gang leader. Kisho lets out a short laughter. “<Why are you two so angry, Ei-chan? I don’t know this man in person but they say that Acerbi took over a big mafia in New York.>” Kisho explains and Eiji translates for Ash. Big mafia in New York, which can only mean that Acerbi is Dino’s successor. But why do the Yellow Belts have a letter from him? Could it be that they have business together? Ash grins as he thinks about that and also Eiji looks tensed.

“<Eiji, Ash, why do you give me those looks?>”

“<Why do you have this letter from Mister Acerbi?>”

“<One of my boys found it. Trust me, I’m not the addressee.>”

 “<And who is it then?>”

“<No clue. That’s what I’m trying to find out. Are you with me?>”

Eiji turns to Ash and whispers the translation into his ear. Then Ash and Eiji stare into each other’s eyes, as if they had a telepathic conversation. Afterwards Ash turns away from Eiji and faces Kisho. Ash reaches his right hand out and waits for Kisho to respond to his offer. When they shake hands Ash says: “Count me in.” and even Eiji offers his hand to the leader of the Yellow Belts. “<Alright, I’m happy to have you two as allies.>” Kisho says and puts two yellow belts out of his bag, which he hands to Eiji and Ash. Even though Ash and Eiji agreed on joining the Yellow Belts, they still are not too sure whether they can trust him fully but right now he is the only one who could help them with closing the Banana Fish case. The two of them put the belts through the loops on their trousers to show that they belong to the Yellow Belts now. A few moments later the other members of the colour gang arrive and greet their newest allies: Ash Lynx and Eiji Okumura.      

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By now I guess I reached the point where I provided enough background information to explain the plot. So be prepared for more action and more soft Ash and Eiji moments in the next chapters.
> 
> As always I'm very thankful for you kudos, comments and support. If there is anything unclear by now, please let me know in the comments, so I can fix that x


	4. Back To The Roots

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Ash and Eiji are now fully members of the Yellow Belts they also get equipped with weapons in case of combat. During practice Ash meets another member of the Yellow Belts who claims to know more about Banana Fish. They decide to meet up but on the way there Max finds Ash and Eiji and wants to bring them back to Osaka...

A few days pass. 67 missed calls from Max, 82 from Ibe-san and even 169 from Eiji’s family. Ever since Ash and Eiji joined the Yellow Belts they have not been back to Osaka nor did they answer their phones. The Yellow Belts, including their newest members meet up in the basement of their hide out to practise fighting, just in case it goes down. Kisho hands Ash and Eiji a knife each. Ash remembers that guns are forbidden in Japan, well there must be some somewhere, but the Yellow Belts do not appear to be such a professional gang to have contact with any firearms suppliers.  The basement is filled with some weird looking stuffed dolls. Some of them are cut open with their filling leaking out, others were stitched. “So this is how they practise close combats, huh?” Ash whispers, while leaning over to Eiji. Eiji’s response is a short nodding gesture. The Japanese boy next to Ash looks anything but scared, rather focused and concentrated. Ash did not see that coming. Eiji has never been too fund of violence and therefore he expected him to be some kind of anxious when thinking about learning how to fight but since Ash saw the expression on his best friend’s face he doubts that this is still the case. Eiji holds the flip knife in his right hand and takes strong steps towards the last free stuffed doll in the basement. He reaches back and cuts the doll’s throat open. His movement was strong enough to prick the thick fabric and rip it open. “Perfect cut.” Ash whistles through his teeth with an impressed look on his face. “Indeed.” An unfamiliar voice says. When Ash turns around he sees a boy, around his age, not clearly Western but not clearly Asian either. “Sorry for sneaking up behind you. They call me Ryo.” the boy introduces himself. “Your English is decent.” Ash says. Ryo smiles after receiving this compliment from a native speaker. Ash reads Ryo like a book. His accent is too flawless for a foreign language, he must have grown up bilingual. That also explains his appearance. “Mother or father?” Ash asks. The expression on Ryo’s face changes immediately to shocked or surprised at least. He must have guessed that Ash Lynx has a special sense when it comes to people but he did not expect that his senses were so sharpened. “My mother is from Detroit but I was born and raised here in Tokyo.” Ryo confesses. “So you were raised bilingual?” Ash asks with one eyebrow lifted up. Ryo lets out an insecure laughter. “That must make your compliment on my English worthless.” Ash shakes his head. “Not at all, it’s actually nice to have someone to talk to without needing Eiji for translation.” he explains.

 

Suddenly their little chat gets interrupted by the noise of one stuffed dolls crashing onto the floor. As Ash turns around to see where the sound comes from he finds a completely damaged doll lying next to Eiji. The doll is brutally cut open, the right arm is missing, if the doll was a real human the guts would be hanging out of the torso. A real mess. Eiji breathes heavily as he looks to the destroyed doll close to his feet. “Did I do this?” he asks himself. Everyone in the room is now starting at Eiji, who lets the flip knife in his right hand fall to the ground because his hands are shaking that much. “Eiji, where did you learn how to fight like that?” Ash asks with a proud smile. He walks up to Eiji and offers him a high five. Eiji softly claps Ash’s hand. “Hey Eiji, are you alright?” Ash says concerned, trying to look at Eiji’s face but that seems kind of hard since Eiji is constantly looking at the ground and avoids every eye contact. Here Ash’s seventh sense takes action again. Ash was right, the focused look on Eiji’s face before hacking up that stuffed doll was just a façade. Eiji acted strong as if it did not bother him but in fact it still does. Ash puts his arms around Eiji, who is still frozen from shock about himself. “Shhh… you’re gonna be alright. Everything’s good Eiji.” he whispers into Eiji’s ear. While Ash is comforting his friend he senses someone coming up behind him, he is just a little shorter than Ash so it must be Ryo, since Kisho is not that tall nor anyone else of the gang is. “He still isn’t used to such actions.” Ryo tells. “Pardon?” Ash asks. His alarm bells ring. How does Ryo know? Ash starts thinking whether he has seen him before. His brain is now working like a computer that displays a portrait of every person he has ever encountered with name and date of meeting attached to it but no success. Who is this Ryo person?

“Is Eiji okay?”

“He’ll be fine. Why do you ask Ryo?”

“I’m worried about him, his soul is too pure for such violence.”

“He has seen worse.”

“Yeah, bet he has…”

Ash feels that the boy in his arms begins to move again. “I’m good.” Eiji mumbles and tries to untangle himself from Ash’s arms. As Ash lets go of Eiji, the Japanese knees down to pick up the knife and puts it back into his pocket just as if nothing happened. Then Eiji takes a rope and hangs the doll again. “Eiji, if you wanna take a break, just go for it.” Ash suggests concerned. “I’m good. I’m good.” Eiji mumbles again. “If you say so…” Ash sighs. Then he takes out his own knife and starts slicing a stuffed doll that is not nearly as damaged as the one Eiji fought. After three targeted cuts he turns away from the doll and says: “Dead.” And leaves the rest of the Yellow Belts standing there in silence with their mouths open. This silence is interrupted by the slow but strong applause of Kisho. “<Ash, could you imagine training us in close combat?>” the leader asks but Ash did not understand a single thing. He looks for Eiji, who is in the other corner of the room, staring at his demolished doll. Instead of Eiji Ryo translates Kisho’s question. Looking around the room and seeing how clueless the Yellow Belts act with knives makes Ash’s answer pretty easy. “Ryo, tell him that I’ll teach them. But I want more information on Banana Fish first.” After some discourse in Japanese both Kisho and Ryo nod to show their agreement to Ash’s demand.  “Tomorrow, 2p.m. at the aquarium. Come with Eiji and I tell you everything I know. I was the one who found Mister Acerbi’s letter…” Ryo confesses before leaving the basement.

 

1p.m. the next day. Ash and Eiji leave their accommodation to head to the Sunshine Aquarium. As they pass the streets of Ikebukuro Ash feels that someone is following them but every time he turns around to see who it is that person seems to be gone. He or she must probably be hiding somewhere whenever Ash turns around to look. After a few more meters Ash spots broad shoulders and light brown short hair. “I’m seeing you Max.” he says with an ironic laughter as if he was mocking Max. “Guess I’m busted.” the journalist jokes. “Yeah…” Ash confirms. Max walks to Ash and Eiji with a strict facial expression. “Ash, I think Max is mad at us…” Eiji whispers to Ash. “True. I am mad at you two. You simply left without telling us where you’re going. We imagined the worst. You could have been kidnaped or hurt or killed. Eiji your parents are worried sick. You could have answered their calls at least. Can’t you imagine how scary it is for parents when their child suddenly disappears?” Max lectures. In fact, neither of them have made a single thought about how Ibe-san, Max or Eiji’s family feel about the two of them leaving so all out of the sudden. Knowing that Banana Fish is in Japan has made them some kind of narrow minded and reckless. “So?” Ash asks with a provoking expression. Max nearly explodes when he sees that. Ash has never been really respectful to Max or any adult in general, still it drives Max mad. So Max takes a few breaths to calm himself down. “I’m here to pick you up and bring you back to Osaka. You coming with me or not?” the adult explains. “We’re staying.” Eiji says in a sharp voice. Max secretly hoped that Eiji would see that Ikebukuro is not the right place for them so he would agree on coming back to Osaka and eventually would persuade Ash, too. But now with Eiji being fully convinced to stay here Max’s hopes are shattered. “Okay, okay. Why don’t we meet up for dinner to talk the matter over?” Max suggests. Ash puts on a fake smile so bright like a diamond. “Sure Max. 7p.m.?” he says and Max agrees. As the two of them continue their way to the Sunshine Aquarium Ash feels that Max is still walking close behind them. “Quit following us Max.” Ash says without even turning around. Max’s face turns red but then he listens to the teenager and choses another way to stop following them.

 

Ryo is already waiting in the café that belongs to the aquarium when Eiji and Ash arrive. “Have a seat.” Ryo says as he stands up to greet the two. “Quit the chit chat and come to the point.” Ash orders in a friendly but strict voice. Ryo smiles. This is exactly what he imagined a meeting with Ash Lynx to be like. The blonde knows exactly what he wants and he also knows how to get it so he turns into the most charismatic person in the entire town. Ryo leans closer to Ash and Eiji to keep their conversation as private as possible with no one overhearing their words.

Ryo: “I didn’t find the letter. I stole it.”

Ash: “From whom?”

Ryo: “Blue Scarfs, a more influential colour gang. They are supposed to have ties with the mafia.”

Eiji: “The Yakuza?”

Ryo: “Shhh… Yes, the Yakuza. The letter was addressed to the leader of the Blue Scarfs.”

Ash: “How did you get the letter?”

Ryo: “I’m a spy and a member of both gangs. Don’t worry my heart belongs to the Yellow Belts, it’s just…”

Ash: “You’re a traitor. Does Kisho now?”

Ryo: “I’m no traitor. And yes, Kisho nows.”

Ash: “If we were in New York, someone like you wouldn’t be part of my gang.”

Ryo: “But we aren’t in New York and this is not your gang Ash Lynx. Now get up and put your hands behind you head. Both of you!”

Suddenly Ryo pulls a weapon out of his bag and Eiji and Ash find themselves in a room with 18 people pointing guns at them. It was a trap. Ash does as Ryo says and puts his hands behind his head. He could fight them, his knife his hidden in his sock, that is what he learned from Shorter a few years back. But pulling it out now would be too risky. Also he would not stand a chance with one knife against 18 firearms. He has no chance but obeying. Eiji realises that, too and so he offers no resistance. With their hands behind their heads they follow Ryo and eight other men out of the café, the other nine are walking close behind them so there is no way of escaping. Ryo and his men take them through seemingly endless corridors until they reach the backyard of the aquarium where a black van is parked. “Guess we shall get in there.” Ash says in a mocking voice. “Hey, don’t get too naughty here.” Ryo yells and kicks Ash’s knee, which causes Ash to fall down. “Tell me Ash Lynx, where is the knife Kisho gave you?” Ryo asks. He knows that it must be somewhere because Ash would never come to such a meeting unarmed. “Right sock.” Ash says in a voice weakened from the pain. One of the men rolls Ash’s jeans up and grabs the knife that is hidden in Ash’s sock. “Now to you samurai boy. Where is your knife?” Ryo asks as he turns over to Eiji. “Don’t have it with me…” Eiji’s voice shakes as he says these words. “You’re as naïve as they say.” Ryo begins laughing but believes that Eiji has no weapons with him. After all, he has seen Eiji in practise and how troubled we was after slicing a stuffed doll open. This boy would never be able to carry a knife with him, not even to hurt someone with it. Anyway Ryo’s men check Eiji’s socks but it appears that he is honest with them. So Eiji is no danger and Ash is unarmed, everything goes as planned for Ryo. He orders his men to get his guests into the van and they do so. Once Eiji and Ash are in the vehicle Ryo pulls a blue scarf out of his pocket. “Surprise, surprise.” he sings. The ache in Ash’s knee has faded by now and so he is up for some irony again. “You don’t say. Do you really think we’re that stupid Ryo?” The young man with a blue scarf around his neck starts giggling. “I actually expected some more brains of you Ash Lynx. And now be so kind to remain silent until we have reached our destination.” Ryo asks while he is still laughing. Two of his men bind Eiji’s and Ash’s eyes with their blue scarfs so they cannot see where the van is going.                        

 

After somewhat like two hours of driving Ryo takes the blue scarfs off their heads. The garage where the van is parked is completely bright from at least one dozen of neon lights. As Ash and Eiji step out of the car they are blinded by the lights. One member of the blue scarfs grab the two by their hands and guides them to another room. Since neither of Ash and Eiji can see a single thing they have no choice but following the gang member. It takes them a few moments until their eyes get used to the light again but when they can finally see again they find themselves locked into a room. “Damn. I should have known better!” Ash shouts and smashes his fist on the door. He looks around the room if there is any way to escape it but no chance. As he realises there are nearly no chances of escaping, Ash takes a precise look at the door lock. “If we only had something sharp to unlock the door, something like a…” Ash says to himself and takes another look around the room. “Something like a knife?” Eiji asks with a proud smile. Then he rolls up his left sleeve and takes the flip knife he has hid there. “Eiji! You’re a genius!” Ash says. He is clearly relieved and also surprised. Apparently Eiji is a talented actor because also Ash believed him when Eiji said that he is unarmed, the shaking voice, the fearful expression. Everything was on point. Ash cannot help himself but lying his hands on Eiji’s cheeks and kissing his forehead. As soon as Ash’s lips touch Eiji’s skin, Eiji blushes heavily and even Ash feels a little odd after letting his feelings overcome him. “<I’m sorry>” Ash says shyly. Eiji does not say a word and simply hands Ash the knife in silence. Ash takes it and tries to crack the door open with it but the blade is too thick and so it does not work. Ash moans out of frustration. “Hey Ash, don’t be like that. They must open the door some time and then we’ll attack.” Eiji says to comfort Ash. Eiji has really changed since their first encounter in New York. His way of thinking and acting is different. Eiji has always been smart and thoughtful but now his head functions like the brain of a gang member. Not some small fry, rather one in a higher position, close to the leader. The more Ash thinks about it, the more he realises that this is the actual truth. In the last months Eiji was always close to him, his gang respected Eiji, they cared for him and in the end it was like he was a fully member of Ash’s gang. “Eiji Okumura, you surprise me more every day.” Ash says and gives Eiji a smile, not a fake one. This smile of Ash is one of the most honest smiles Eiji has ever seen, not only on Ash’s face but on everyone’s face. And Eiji gives Ash exact such an honest smile back.

 

In the meantime Max is standing in front of the restaurant where he is supposed to meet up with Ash and Eiji. It is quarter to eight already, that means that they are 45 minutes late. That does not sound like Ash. Usually he is on time so something must have happened. Max takes out his phone and tries to call Ash and since he does not pick up he calls Eiji, who is also not answering the phone. Something is definitely wrong here. “This stinks.” Max says to himself and starts wandering around Ikebukuro to find Ash and Eiji. He remembers that they headed in the direction of the aquarium and finds himself in the exhibition room where a banana and a fish are painted on the wall. He follows the signs, into the staff room, out to the backyard, onto the roof and then to the panel, where he finds the hide out of the Yellow Belts. When he opens the door the members of the colour gang stare at Max as if he would have something on his face. “Sorry, uhm I’m Max and I’m looking for two boys, age 18 and 20 but one of them looks younger.” he explains himself. “<I’m sorry but none of us speaks English.>” Kisho says. Max looks at him in confusion. This is obviously a dilemma since Max does not understand Japanese and the young men do not speak English. So Max tries to reduce his words to the minimum and just asks: “Ash? Eiji?” Kisho nods. “Where are they? Ash? Eiji?” Kisho nods again. Dead end here. As language seems to be a barrier here he calls Ibe-san. “Shunichi listen, I met Ash and Eiji today. Apparently there is something wrong here. Can you come to Tokyo? I need you to translate. It’s urgent.”    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for your kudos. 
> 
> I hope that Ryo was the last original character to introduce. I tried to keep OCs to the minimum but since this is a post AU I had to create new characters to push the story. But by now I think Kisho, Acerbi and Ryo remain the only three.
> 
> Comment question: Do you think Max and Ibe-san will find Ash and Eiji or will they manage to escape on their own?


	5. Den of Monsters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ash manages to escape from the Blue Scarfs but he has to leave Eiji behind. Together with Max he is looking where the Blue Scarfs have brought him, while Ibe-san is distracting Eiji's family.

“Where are they?” Ibe-san asks as he meets Max the next day. “Hello to you, too.” Max replies. Ibe-san jumped in his car when Max asked him to come to Tokyo because he needs help with finding Ash and Eiji. He has been driving all night through and due to his tiredness Ibe-san is not in the mood for jokes right now. In the past few days the Okumura family has been calling him every hour to ask whether he knows about the whereabouts of their son. “Since when do you care for politeness Max?” Ibe-san says slightly annoyed. In the end Ibe-san came all the way from Osaka to help Max translating and now the American is wasting their time with silly jokes. “Sorry. I found this bar, guess it belongs to a colour gang and apparently they know our two runaways.” Max explains. Ibe-san nods in understanding. “Then show me where it is Max!” And the two men drive through the streets of Ikebukuro. Ibe-san parks his car next to the advertising panel that has the huge fish painting on it. Max swings the door the hide out of the Yellow Belts open, where Kisho already awaits them.

“<Welcome to the Yellow Belts.>”

“<Where are Ash and Eiji?>”

“<They met up with Ryo the other day.>”

“<Who is Ryo?>”

“<A spy. He belongs to us but acts undercover in the Blue Scarfs… DAMN!>”

“<Yellow Belts? Blue Scarfs?>”

“<Quick, head out to Tokyo Bay. Bet the Blue Scarfs must be strolling around there.>”

It appears as if Kisho just realised how dangerous the situation is now. In the end the Blue Scarfs must have kidnapped three of his men. Ibe-san runs to his car with Max following him. As they fasten the seatbelts Max asks: “Could you please tell me what this guy just told you?” Ibe-san has the motor running already and starts driving to Tokyo Bay, his face is pale from shock and sweat is dipping down his face. “Colour gang… Ash and Eiji… kidnapped.” These few words are enough for Max to understand what is going on: Ash and Eiji are in big trouble.

 

Meanwhile is the storage room where Ash and Eiji are held captive, a member of the Blue Scarfs unlocks the door. As soon as Ash and Eiji hear the key in the door lock Ash grabs Eiji’s knife and prepares to attack. Eiji hides behind the door to run out of the room as soon as the man behind the door goes down. The door opens and a man with a blue scarf around his neck, a bottle of water in the right hand and the keys in the left hand enters the room. Ash immediately jumps up and cuts the man’s left wrist including his tendons so he lets the keys fall to the ground. Ash grabs the keys as soon as they touch the floor. Even though his eyes are pointed to the keys he still senses that the man with the blue scarf is about to punch him and so he dodges while he is picking up the keys. As Ash is still quite crouched he uses the flip knife to cut the enemy’s Achilles tendon, which causes the man to fall down. The floor is painted in blood when Eiji sneaks out of their prison. Ash follows Eiji, leaving the man on the ground bleeding and unable to get up. “Where do we go now?” Eiji asks quietly so he does not cause any attention. Ash looks around the room and points to a door that must lead to the garage. He gives Eiji the keys and the Japanese checks which one fits the lock, while Ash is backing him up in case any other members of the Blue Scarfs show up. The keys on the key ring jingle louder with each key that does not fit in the lock. “The right key is not on the ring. We need to try another door.” Eiji whispers. Ash then points to a heavy iron door that is on the other side of the room. The third key that Eiji tries fits and so the door can be opened. But they could not see what was behind the heavy iron door. The door leads to some sort of kitchen where ten of the Blue Scarfs, including Ryo are having breakfast. “Ash, run!” Eiji says as he seen who is awaiting them behind the door. He throws the key ring to Ash and the blonde starts running and looking for another possible escape. Ash sees a staircase and runs it up, on the first floor is a door, he unlocks it and finds himself on a balcony. “Eiji we need to jump!” he says, takes a run-up, jumps and lands in trash container. When Ash surfaces he cannot see Eiji at all. Ash assumes that he must have lost him on the way out of the building.

 

Eiji is still inside in the kitchen, where Ryo has enchained him. “Seems like your friend has forgotten you here.” the traitor says. As soon as Ash started running, Eiji was already held by one of the Blue Scarfs. Ash must not have realised that because he was too focused on finding an escape. “Ash would never forget me!” Eiji protests. Ryo starts laughing. He hopes to give Eiji insecurities with that, he wants Eiji to mistrust Ash. But Eiji’s feelings are definitely stronger than that, Ryo cannot raise any doubts in the hostage’s head. “So anyway Ei-chan, tell my why you joined the Yellow Belts.” Ryo says and places his finger on the belt Eiji is wearing. Eiji remains silent. Then Ryo opens a drawer and puts a small ampoule out.

“Is it because of this? Banana Fish? Bet you are familiar with its power.”

“I am.”

“Interested in trying it yourself?”

“Not at all.”

“Too bad, I thought I could use Mister Acerbi’s present on you…”

Then Ryo makes a hand gesture and all of the Blue Scarf members get up and drag Eiji into a van. The van leaves the area and Tokyo Bay and heads south. When Ash hears the sound of a running motor he starts running to it but he is too late. He can only see the van leaving the area from afar. “Damn.” the blonde lets out in frustration. He falls to his knees to catch his breath when he hears another vehicle approaching the area. It does not sound like a van, more like an old car. Could it be that someone is coming to pick Ash up? Could it be that it is…? “Ash!” Max shouts as he sees the teenager kneeling on the floor. He jumps out of Ibe-san’s car and runs to Ash. “Hey, hey, are you okay?” Max asks concerned. “I am. They got Eiji.” Ash gasps. Max also kneels down to Ash and puts his arm around him. Ash feels tears running down his face. “I am sorry. I thought he was right behind me. I know they brought him somewhere else. God knows what they’re doing to him.” Ash cries. Now Ibe-san has also approached the two Americans but before he could say anything Max places his index onto his lips to signal Ibe-san to be quiet. Max lifts Ash up and brings him to the car. Together they drive to a hotel where Ibe-san has booked a room.

 

“Tell me what happened.” Max says once has calmed down in the hotel room. Ash takes a deep breath before he tells Max and Ibe-san everything, about how they first heard about Banana Fish in Japan, the signs to the Yellow Belts, the meeting with Ryo and them being held captive. “We’ll do anything possible to free Eiji.” Max says. “I know…” Ash sighs. If they just had a clue where they took Eiji, then they could show up there right now and rescue Eiji. But Ash does not know Tokyo very well, neither does Max. Ibe-san probably knows Tokyo a little more but after all he has never entered the underworld. “Hey Max, where did Ibe-san go?” Ash asks suddenly. In fact, Ibe-san has left the room half an hour ago when his phone rang. “No clue, bet he must have received an important call.” Max guesses. Ash shrugs his shoulders. A few moments later Ibe-san comes back to the room with a tensed expression on his face.

“Shunichi, who was it?”

“Ei-chan’s father. He said that they’re coming to Tokyo to bring Ei-chan back home.”

“Not good. When are they gonna be here?”

“Four to five hours.”

“We can’t tell them that we have no clue where Eiji is.”

“Then we must look for him.” Ash interrupts the two adults. He is right, sitting here and waiting for something to happen is a waste of time. The Blue Scarfs surely will not randomly show up and tell them where they hid Eiji. So it is up to Ash, Max and Ibe-san to take action. “Do you have a plan?” Ibe-san asks. Ash smiles before explaining what they need to do. “One of you have to stay here to catch Eiji’s parents before they do anything stupid like calling the police. The other two head back to the Yellow Belts to ask if they know where the Blue Scarfs bring their hostages.” Max and Ibe-san nod. Ash’s plan is not too bad at all. But there is one question left: Who is going to stay here? Ibe-san knows Eiji’s family best and therefore it would be wise that he stays in the hotel. On the other hand Ash needs Ibe-san for talking with Kisho. Before they can discuss the matter over Ibe-san takes out a sheet of paper and a map of Tokyo. On the paper he writes: _“ <If you know where the Blue Scarfs hide their hostages, please mark it on the map. Thank you.>_ _”_ Then he hands the letter to Ash and adds: “Give the letter to this Kisho guy. I’m staying here to catch the Okumura family.” Max takes the sheet of paper and leaves the hotel with Ash.

 

When the two Americans enter the hide out of the Yellow Belts, Ash hands the letter to Kisho. The gang leader reads the letter and then he takes a pen and marks four spots on the map. The location near Tokyo Bay, Haneda Airport, a hide out in Ikebukuro and one in Minato. They take the map and head to the first address in Ikebukuro. They find themselves in front of an abandoned hostel, the windows are broken and overall looks this building very liable to collapse. Ash flips the knife Eiji gave him yesterday and takes careful steps towards the entrance. Max follows him and when Ash gives the sign Max kicks in the door. The whole building is completely quiet, so quiet that one can hear every step Max and Ash take. If someone was in the building they would surely hear the visitors. But on the other hand Ash and Max would hear if someone was in the house. After a few minutes it is crystal clear that they are the only two in the abandoned hostel so they start looking around for any information on Eiji’s whereabouts and on Banana Fish. However, the building seems to be a dead end since it is completely empty. Nothing is in here besides a few decayed pieces of furniture and a few rats. “If Eiji was here, we would have heard him screaming already.” Max jokes to which Ash gives him a look like he is about to kill Max. “Sorry.” the adult quickly apologises. Eiji’s wellbeing is Ash’s highest priority at the moment so he has no time for making fun of Eiji’s rat phobia. “There’s nothing here, let’s head to the airport. Maybe they will try to take him out of Japan.” Ash says and takes Max’s phone to check for flights to New York.

“What are you looking for Ash?”

“The Blue Scarfs have a connection to Dino’s men, perhaps they wanna bring him to New York.”

“When does the next flight departure?”

“Check in is in one hour. Let’s hurry.”

When they arrive at Haneda Airport the two of them split up. Max looks out if he sees Eiji among the other passengers and Ash head to the information point and convinces the employee to show him all passenger lists of flight from New York and to New York. Ash scrolls all the passenger lists until one name catches his eye: Acerbi. His flight arrived three hours ago. He runs to Max as fast as he can. “No need to stay here! If Eiji was here, they already left. Dino’s successor arrived in Tokyo three hours ago.” he says when he reaches the adult. Max nods and the two rush to Ibe-san car and drive to the dress in Minato.

 

Meanwhile Eiji’s parents arrive at the hotel where Ibe-san is waiting for them. Eiji’s father knocks fast at Ibe-san’s hotel door. When Ibe-san opens it Eiji’s mother cries out: “<Have you found Ei-chan?>” Ibe-san elaborates whether he should tell them the truth that Eiji is missing or whether he should lie to them. When Ibe-san looks into the hopeful eyes of Eiji’s mother he is convinced that he cannot tell the truth. “<Ei-chan is out with Ash and my friend Max. I think they should be back for dinner.>” he lies. It takes a few seconds until Eiji’s parents look relieved. Apparently they are buying Ibe-san’s lie. “<Why did they go back to Tokyo in the first place?>” Eiji’s father suddenly brings into question. Now that Ibe-san already started with lying he has to stick to it. He cannot tell them that their son entered the New York underworld to assist solving the Banana Fish question and nor can he tell them that this mind twisting drug is in Japan and that their son is gathering all the information about it. “<Uhhh… they came here for a party trip and some shopping.>” Ibe-san realises that this sounds not very reasonable so he hopes that Eiji’s parents will buy this lie again. All his hopes are shattered when Eiji’s father raises one eyebrow and says: “<Party and shopping? That doesn’t sound much like Ei-chan. Shunichi, where is our son?>” Busted. Ibe-san tries to think of a better excuse but he cannot come up with any. He has no other choice but telling Eiji’s family the truth. He inhales and explains: “<I don’t know where Ei-chan is. I’m very sorry… all I know is that he somehow got in contact with a colour gang and now he’s missing.>”  Eiji’s mother immediately starts crying as soon as Ibe-san told them the truth, well parts of it at least.  Ibe-san cannot take the look of the crying woman in front of him so he turns over to Eiji’s father, who has a mad facial expression. “<Shunichi, what do you mean our son got in contact with a colour gang?>” he yells. He has all the reasons to be mad at Ibe-san. After all it was him who brought Eiji to New York, who introduced him to Ash’s world. “<I’m sorry.>” Ibe-san mumbles.

“<You’re sorry? If you were sorry you would have called the police, so they can look where our son is!>”

“<Eiji can look out for himself. He’s strong.>”

“<How do you know? Ei-chan has never had contact with any criminals.>”

“…”

“<What happened in New York?>”

“<Nothing to worry about.>”

“<That’s it. I’m calling the police.>”

“<No, please don’t. We can’t have the police involved. Trust me.>”

“<Why should I trust you?>”

“<If the mafia finds out they’ll kill Ei-chan for sure.>”

Eiji’s father puts his phone back into his pocket and goes to his wife, who is still crying from all the worrying. Alright, at least Eiji’s parent do not want to involve the police anymore but now they are suspicious about the fact that something bad must have happened in New York. They are right with this assumption but how shall Ibe-san explain this? They might have closed the topic for now but sooner or later they will ask again what happened and then they have to hear the truth. How should he tell them?

 

Same time in Minato, Ash and Max arrive at the given address. It is a fancy apartment building, probably the most expensive one in whole Tokyo. The two American enter the building where a receptionist asks them where they are going. “We’re here for the security service. The landlord wants to try an international company to guarantee the safety of all residents, not only the Japanese speaking ones.” Max lies. He could not even believe his own words but the receptionist somehow is overwhelmed by the situation and so he just lets them go to the elevators. “Wow, didn’t expect that to work out.” Ash says impressed. “Me neither. By the way, do you know to which floor we have to go?” Max replies. Ash presses the button with 37 on it, top floor. That is where the penthouses are and usually the big fishes rent them. Ash was right, one nameplate says Acerbi. There is no security on the corridor so there must be some behind the massive entrance door. Max and Ash cannot just ring the bell and expect a friendly welcome committee, they have to find another way in. They need to find and save Eiji, who is being held captive inside where Mister Acerbi is looking at the Japanese precisely. At his black thick hair, his dark brown eyes, his small body. “Exactly my type.” Acerbi says. Eiji is shaking because of the panic that is upcoming. He knows that Ash is surely looking for him but he does not know whether he will find him in time. “Why are you shaking? Are you freezing?” Mister Acerbi says and hugs Eiji from behind. Eiji can feel Acerbi’s crotch pressed against his bottom. But before anything worse can happen Eiji kicks Acerbi's ankle. The elder man falls down to the ground and Ryo helps him up get up. “Do you have a death wish?” Ryo asks. No one is supposed to hurt the successor of Dino Golzine. “I would rather die than going through this hell.” Eiji says determined. “As you wish.” Acerbi says and order two of his men to drag Eiji out of the room.      

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like this more action driven chapter. I'm sorry for not giving you soft Ash/Eiji moments here but do not fear, you will get them again soon x


	6. The Only Way I Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ash has a plan to save Eiji from Acerbi and Ryo that includes Max and Ibe-san. Ash stays at the hotel to distract the Okumura family. Once Eiji is back with his friends and family he has to take two life changing decisions. Will he go back home? Or will he stay in Tokyo?

Ash lays his ear against the huge mahogany door that leads to Mister Acerbi’s apartment. He can hear every word that is said behind it, he hears how Acerbi fancies Eiji, how Eiji protests against this approach and how Ryo threatens to kill Eiji. Ash swallows. “Can you hear anything?” Max asks the blonde teenager. “This is bad.” Ash whispers. He presses his ear against the door even harder, as it he could hear the words cleanlier then. Suddenly he opens his eyes wide and shows Max a gesture that tells him to give Ash a pen and a paper. Max grabs into his pockets until he can find anything useful and when he does he hands the recite and the pencil to Ash. _“Dinner 6p.m. Nodaiwa”_ he writes down. That might be the key to rescuing Eiji. Ash looks at his watch, which says quarter past three. The countdown is on. Max and Ash rush out of the apartment building and head back to the hotel, hoping that nothing bad will happen to Eiji, while they are gone. “What’s the plan?” Max asks with hardly any air in his lungs, while the two Americans run through the streets of Tokyo. “We need Ibe-san to act the waiter, you’ll be driving the getaway car and I make sure Eiji’s parents won’t come in our way.” Ash explains. Max cannot believe what he is hearing. Ash will not be present when Eiji is rescued. This is absolutely unclear to Max so he asks: “Don’t you wanna save Eiji yourself?” Ash shakes his head. “Ibe-san needs to infiltrate and since he’s fluent in Japanese he’s the only one to act the waiter. You have an international license, therefore you’re the one who has to drive… and someone has to hold Eiji’s parents back that would be me then.” Ash explains. As Max hears these words he starts thinking. In fact, Ash is right with his assumption. But on the other hand Max and Ibe-san better not mess it up or Ash will go crazy. Now it is up to the adults to save Eiji.

 

The mood in the hotel room is tensed when Ash and Max enter it. Eiji’s parents do not look too happy when they see the Americans. Especially Ash receives strict looks. The teenager knows that he has to make amends in order to gain the trust of the Okumura family. “<I’m sorry.> I never meant to put Eiji in such danger…” he says. While Eiji’s mother starts crying again, the father looks like he is about to punch Ash. “You have every reason to be mad at me mister Okumura.” Ash adds. “<I know.>” Eiji’s father replies. Even though Ash can hardly understand any Japanese his vocabulary is still good enough to understand what the parent just said. The next minutes pass in an awkward silence, while Max and Ibe-san are in the bathroom where Ibe-san slips into a fancy outfit and Max explains him Ash’s plan. As the two adults leave the bathroom Eiji’s parents give them confused looks. In fact they have never seen Ibe-san in such fine clothes before. “<Okumura-san I know the situation is not the best and I understand how worried you are about Eiji but please trust in Ash’s plan. He’s the smartest kid I know. Please stay here with Ash and wait for us to come back with Ei-chan.>” the man in the suit explains. The expression on Eiji’s father’s face does not change. He is still mad that the three for letting Eiji be in such danger. God knows what the mafia is doing to him at this very moment. “<Why are you still here then? Hurry and save our son.>” the father says. Max and Ibe-san leave the room right away and head to Ibe-san’s car. Ash remains in the hotel room with Eiji’s parents. The mother is still crying from worrying so much about her son. “I promise you, I won’t let anybody hurt Eiji.” Ash breaks the silence. No response from Eiji’s parents here. Ash assumes that this must be due to them not understanding English very well so Ash thinks of how to translate his words to Japanese. “<My promise… Eiji’s good.>” he then says with one of the accents ever. Eiji’s father raises one eyebrow as if he cannot believe what he has just heard. “<Liar>” the adult replies. Ash does not know the word so he types it into his phone to check its meaning. The word on the phone screen makes him shocked.  All Ash wanted to do was to gain Eiji’s parents’ trust or to calm them down at least. Still they are mad at him… to be fair they have every reason to be. As Ash thinks about the situation he feels his eyes are filling with tears. “<I’m sorry.> Keeping Eiji safe has always been my highest priority. I thought he was right behind me… I should have checked first… <I’m so sorry.>” Ash says with tears running down his face. The more Ash cries to madder Eiji’s father gets. He looks at the teenager as if he had no right to cry. “Ei-chan came to Japan hurt.” the adult accuses the blonde. Ash nods to show his agreement. Eiji’s father is right with every word he says. All Ash has done in the past year was to put Eiji into danger, Eiji’s was kidnapped, held as a hostage, hurt, he was a tool to all of Ash’s enemies. Everything Eiji has been through was because of him.

 

In the meantime Ibe-san and Max arrive in front of the Nodaiwa. It is quarter to six when Ibe-san enters the restaurant. “<Good evening. My name is Shunichi Ibe and I am here for the trial work tonight.>” he explains. While Ibe-san was driving to the restaurant Max hacked into the restaurant’s computer system to add Ibe-san to tonight’s trial work. For doing so he used a program Ash has created and copied on a USB stick. “<Good evening Ibe-san. We have a big reservation tonight. You are going to be serving it with me then.>” the waiter tells. Luckily Ibe-san has had plenty of part time jobs at bars and restaurants during college years so the chances are high that his façade will last for tonight. As the two men just set the table, a huge group of business men enter the restaurant. The other waiter sees them to the table where Ibe-san is waiting to take their orders. One among those men in expensive suits is in fact Eiji who is sitting between Ryo and Mister Acerbi. Eiji is looking down at his feet to avoid any eye contact with one of the men around the table. Suddenly he hears a familiar voice: “<Good evening gentlemen. My name is Ibe and I am your waiter for tonight. Is there anything you want to drink?>” the voice asks. Eiji cannot believe what he is hearing. He looks up to see if his mind is playing tricks on him but it is not. Ibe-san is here to save Eiji. “<Bodaimoto Sake for the whole table.>” Acerbi orders. Ibe-san writes it down and leaves the table with saying: “<Very well.>” While Ibe-san is preparing the drinks for the table, the men sitting around it are talking about how well the trading of Banana Fish is, that the suppliers from America are going to send a huge cargo to Japan tomorrow and where they are going to use the drug. “<Why don’t we try it on him?>” Ryo suggests with his finger pointing at Eiji. Acerbi shakes his head and comments: “<Not now. I have bigger plans for him.>” while stroking Eiji’s back. Eiji feels obviously uncomfortable with the man’s hand moving up and down his back. “<Could you please quit doing that?>” Eiji whispers and gives the mafia leader a bad look, like he is about to kill him when he does not stop. Mister Acerbi is clearly surprised. Before he met Eiji Okumura in person, everyone who has encountered him before told Acerbi that Eiji was shy, insecure and easy to play with but the person Acerbi is now facing is far from the boy everyone described to him.

“<How comes that you won’t obey Ei-chan?>”

“<My name is Eiji.>”

“<Pardon. Don’t play so coy Eiji.>”

“<I’m not playing coy. I just don’t like to be touched like this.>”

“<Oh come on. I just want you to have a nice evening. Here, try some sake.>”

“<I think I’ll pass.>”

When Ibe-san comes back to the table he cannot believe what he is hearing. Also Ibe-san, who knows Eiji for quite a while now, does not recognize the boy… or rather young man. When did Eiji become so brave? Is it because he knows that is going to be saved? Or is it because America has changed him? Either way this is not Ei-chan anymore. After Ibe-san poured the expensive sake into the glasses he asks: “<Is there anything else you would like to order?>” Acerbi is still reading the menu and negates Ibe-san question. “<Could you please tell me where the restrooms are?>” Eiji asks, hoping that this could be his escape. Ibe-san smiles and replies: “<Yes I can, if you follow me then.>” Eiji stands up and as he is about to walk away from the table he feels a hand holding onto his wrist. “<I’m accompanying you.>” Ryo says and stands up as well. “<Don’t you dare to run away.>” Ryo whistles through his teeth. “<Don’t worry. We all want to have a nice evening.>” Eiji answers. The bathroom is completely empty when Ibe-san sees them to it. There are three bathroom stalls, the one that has access to a window is the only one that was not locked previously by Ibe-san. The waiter undercover has left the restroom to go to Max and help Eiji escape but Ryo does not let him go that easily. “<I know what you’re planning to do Eiji. You’ll sneak out of the window. Let me close it for you…>” Ryo turns away and goes into the only unlocked toilet stall. That is Eiji’s chance, he smuggled a knife from the table to the restroom, hiding it in his sleeve. He stands on the tip of his toes to press it against Ryo’s throat. “<You have two options now. Either you will let me go and head back to the table. You’ll go back to Acerbi and tell him that I manged to escape. If you’re lucky he won’t kill you. Or I cut your throat open and leave you here bleeding, while I sneak out. Depending on the time someone comes to look after us, you’re either dead or seriously injured. The choice is yours.>” Eiji offers. Ryo remembers how Eiji slaughtered that stuffed doll back then at the hide out of the Yellow Belts. He sure knows how to use a knife when he is in rage. Additionally, Ryo is not able to defend himself right now, he has a knife in is sock but if he would kneel down to grab it, Eiji will slice his throat. Instead of defending himself, Ryo raises his hands above his head. “<Fine, you win this round but be sure that we will come back to haunt you.>” he says and leaves the bathroom. Eiji sneaks out of the window, where Max and Ibe-san are already waiting for him.  They heard every word from the restroom and are surprises, as well as shocked from what Eiji just said. “Where’s Ash?” he asks as he sits down in the backseat. “In the hotel with you parents?” Max explains. Eiji sighs. He never wanted his parents to know what happened in New York or what is going on right now. They should not worry about him. Eiji sits there in guilty silence until they approach the hotel.         

 

“<Ei-chan, are you okay?>” his mother cries when Eiji enters the hotel room. She throws her arms around her son and holds him so tight that he has trouble to breathe. “<I’m good. Don’t worry about me. Why are you guys in Tokyo?>” he asks when he manged to take a breath. Eiji’s mother releases him from her arms and his father walks to him. “<Ei-chan we came here to bring you back home.>” his father states, looking very concerned. Eiji rolls with his eyes. He knows that his parents are right and that it is safe for him to go back home but he really wants to stay here with Ash and he really wants to know what is up with Banana Fish. Eiji takes a deep breath and then says: “<I’m sorry mother and father. But I can’t go back home. Not yet. I know you probably won’t understand and I can’t explain but I feel like I really need to stay here. Please have trust in me. One day I’ll be able to explain everything…>” His parents gasp. His father’s head turns into an angry red. “<No Ei-chan, we won’t let you stay here with this American punk. I don’t know him well but I feel that he is trouble. I want you to stay away from him.>” his father yells. Eiji’s eyes fill with tears. Being away from Ash is an absolute no go for him and now that his dad told him what he thinks about Ash Eiji realises that when he goes back to Osaka with his family he will not see Ash again as his parents will most likely forbid him to meet Ash ever again. “<I’m sorry. But I’m staying with Ash. I’m old enough to make my own decisions…>” Eiji says with a broken voice. “<Fine, if you don’t go back with us now you don’t have to come back ever again.>” the father says, which makes the mother cry again. Also Ibe-san has turned pale because of shock. That is a pretty permanent decision Eiji has to make. And after a few minutes of total silence he opens his mouth and says: “<I’m staying.>” in a determined voice. His mother is now sobbing even harder and his father looks at him in surprise before he takes his wife and leaves the hotel room for good.

 

At night Eiji lays in bed wide awake with Ash sleeping next to him. Suddenly Ash wakes up from a small whining next to him. It is Eiji. “Today was tough, huh?” Ash asks. “Kinda.” Eiji tries to play it cool but Ash can easily tell that Eiji is really shaken. “Hey Eiji, what your dad said was wrong. I really wish that you guys will be fine again someday.” Ash says to comfort his friend. Eiji is still whining. “Hopefully.” he responses. Ash feels that there is not much that will lighten up Eiji’s mood right now. He rolls over and wraps his arms around Eiji. Thirty minutes pass and Eiji finally stops crying.

“Hey Eiji, can I ask you one thing?”

“Sure.”

“Why did you choose to stay here with me?”

“I know that a huge load of Banana Fish will arrive in Tokyo tomorrow.”

“Guess you wanna go and check it out?”

“Yes. We’re so close. I can’t go back now… Also I don’t wanna go without you.”

“You’re a keeper Eiji.”

Ash looks to the young man in his arms with a smile on his face and sees that Eiji is smiling, too. So many things have changed since their first encounter in New York. Ibe-san has told Max and Ash everything that happened at the restaurant. In contrast to Ibe-san Ash always felt that Eiji was brave. Who would ask one of the most feared gang leaders in New York to hold his gun? But even Ash never expected Eiji to be as brave as he was in the restaurant. Still Ash is unsure whether that is a good or a bad thing. In the end this behaviour is rather useful for the Banana Fish case. “Ash, I doubt we can win this war on our own.” Eiji suddenly says. In fact he was right. Neither of them knows all of their enemies. They know Ryo, the Blue Scarfs and Acerbi but there must be plenty of more people behind them. “You’re right Eiji, we need allies. How about the Yellow Belts?” Ash suggests. The Yellow Belts are a beginning at least and they are their entrance to the underworld of Tokyo. “Yeah but we can’t keep Kisho in the leading position…” Eiji adds. After all Kisho trusted Ryo without any doubt and they have seen where this led. Ryo was a traitor. “Why don’t you take his position?” Ash asks. Eiji shakes his head. Out of the two of them Ash is clearly the leader type of person and has already quite some experience with it. “Why not? You’re smart and you know both languages to connect the people. I’ll help you of course since it’s the only way I know.” the American continues. Eiji begins to think about it. After a while he turns over to Ash and says: “Count me in but I really need your help.” They spend the night making plans on how to convince Kisho to let Eiji take over his position until the sun rises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I recently read "Fly Boy, In The Sky" and I realized that I made some mistakes with Eiji's family construction, as well as their characters. I'm sticking with the images I established though. I just want to apologize for those mistakes but I didn't know better when I started this fic.
> 
> Again: thank you for your kudos :)


	7. The Take Over

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ash and Eiji realize that they stand no chance against Acerbi on their own. They need some support and think of the Yellow Belts but the gang needs a new leader. 
> 
> \--- OC death in this chapter ! ---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for taking such a long break. I now try to come back to updating this fic more regularly. Thank you so much for you patience and your support.

When the sun rises the two of them have finally made the perfect plan for taking over Kisho’s gang. Ash has written down everything on a sheet of paper and hands it to Eiji. “Could translate it and put it as a letter?” Ash asks. Eiji nods and takes out another paper and a pen and starts writing. After he finished the letter, he folds the paper, puts into an envelope and addresses it to Kisho. “What? You wanna send it by post?” Ash jokes. Eiji starts laughing and Ash joins him. Of course they are not going to send it to Kisho, Eiji wants to give him the letter when he sees Kisho in person and this is going to be when they spend the Yellow Belts another visit. Ash then goes to the bathroom for a little refresh. When he comes back to their bedroom he finds blue jeans and an ordinary white buttoned shirt on his bed. “You want me to wear this?”  he asks Eiji in confusion. “Yup.” says the young Japanese man who wears exactly such blue jeans and white buttoned shirt. Ash watches Eiji tearing his yellow belt through the loops. “Why are you…?” Ash wonders. Eiji does not reply, he simply smiles at Ash to let him know that it all belongs to a plan and so Ash does the same without knowing the exact reason. But he trusts in Eiji and his actions that is why he does not ask any further question. Ash takes on the outfit Eiji wants him to wear and puts the envelope in his pocket.

 

They leave the apartment and head for the hide out of the Yellow Belts where Kisho awaits them already. Eiji has called him before and told him that he intends to meet up in person. Kisho agreed without knowing what this meeting is all about. Ash and Eiji enter the hide out without saying a single word, instead of speaking Ash hands Kisho the letter. The leader of the Yellow Belts takes it out of the envelope and reads the words carefully.

_< Dear Kisho,_

_First of all we want to thank you for telling us about Banana Fish. We really appreciate your trust and are glad that you allowed us to join your gang. However, we have bigger plans, which we cannot do on our own. Therefore, we need people behind us and we also need a trustworthy leader of these people. We guess you know what happened with Ryo. Someone who trusts in traitors cannot be in a leading position. We suggest that you step aside and let Eiji be the head of the Yellow Belts. We wish that you agree with us._

_Ash and Eiji. >_

As Kisho reads these words he shakes his head in denial. How do these boys dare to even think of overtaking his gang?  “<You guys don’t have any respect, do you?>” Kisho asks as he rips the letters into dozen of little pieces. One can clearly tell that Kisho is not too amused to read these words. That is what Ash and Eiji assumed before but now with seeing Kisho that angry Eiji feels his heart beating a little faster. Ash however remains calm and relaxed. He does not want to show any sign of fear. The leader of the Yellow Belts reads the letter over and over again. It felt like an eternity but suddenly Kisho inhales and stares directly into Eiji’s eyes. “<Fine then. If you want my position, you gotta fight for it…>” he suggests. Eiji’s expression changes to a shook one. That is not what he expected. Actually he thought that Kisho would either agree or disagree but not that he would ask Eiji to fight over the leadership. “What was he saying?” Ash asks his best friend. Ash knows that something is wrong, he could easily tell by looking at Eiji’s face. Then a silent voice translates: “He wants to fight with me over the leadership…” In contrast to Eiji Ash is not surprised at all. He knows that Eiji can fight with knives, he has seen him slaughtering the dummy in practise but that was a motionless stuffed doll and now he is meant to fight a real person. Will Eiji have the guts to do him any harm?  Suddenly the Japanese boy raises his voice and asks “<Where and when?>”. And even though Ash does not know the words he knows what Eiji was just saying. “<2a.m. rooftop of the Art Space. Knives only.>” and so Kisho sets the rules.

 

Back at the hotel Ash sense that Eiji must be nervous. Only five hours left until the fight shall begin. “Do you have a plan?” Ash asks. Eiji shakes his head. Ash feels sorry for his best friends and he feels guilty for putting him in such a situation. Banana Fish has always been Ash’s mission and he was the one who allowed his friends to join him on it but what for? He lost Shorter, Skip, Griffin… If he loses Eiji tonight, too he cannot forgive himself. Ash sits behind his friend and holds him tight for a while. “You don’t have to do this.” he whispers into Eiji’s ear. The Japanese swallows. “But if you will, I show you how to win… I make sure that you won’t get yourself hurt.” he continues with a soft voice. Eiji swallows again. He is aware that he might not make the fight tonight. He knows that maybe only one of the two will climb down the roof again. “How do I win without killing Kisho?” That came suddenly Ash thought. He has not considered that option. “Tell me how you escaped from Mister Acerbi.” Eiji takes a breath but then tells Ash everything, how he threatened to slice Ryo’s throat open, how he quickly sneaked up behind him and pressed the knife against his neck. Ash whistles through his teeth. Hearing the story impresses him, Eiji in fact has some talent in direct combat. But he also knows that Eiji’s biggest weakness is his nerves and his heart. He is too pure to hurt someone. “Do you think you can do the same tonight? That’s the only way of winning without hurting Kisho or worse…” Eiji nods as he knows he has no other chance. That also means that he must remain focused on the rooftop and cannot show any small hint of weakness.

 

Then the time has come. 2a.m. rooftop of the Art Space. Eiji climbed it up on his own and Ash is not allowed to watch. That is what the rules of Ikebukuro tell. The blonde stands in front of the building, his head raised to the rooftop. “Please, don’t get killed.” he whispers. And in fact Ash has all reasons to be worried. Kisho does not go easy on Eiji, the first attack is an aimed cut at Eiji’s wrist. The blood is dropping onto the floor and Eiji tries his best to ignore the pain and sneaks behind Kisho but the gang leader does not go easy on his contender. The second attack hits Eiji’s upper arm and although it is not as deep as the first one Eiji still feels the aching. “<Do you give up at last?>” Kisho asks. Things are not looking too good for Eiji right now. He did not have the guts to fight Kisho so instead he only took the hits. Then Kisho runs towards Eiji as if he was about to hammer the knife into Eiji’s vitals but Eiji sees a chance to win. Eiji gets down and crawls between Kisho’s legs to stand up behind the leader and that is where Eiji presses his knife against Kisho’s throat. “<You could be dead in a second. Either you give up or I have to finish you off…>” Eiji says. Kisho looks at the hand that is covered in blood but do not any sign of weakness. He feels the blade against his throat and he sense that Eiji is all serious. “<Put an end to me.>” Kisho says. Eiji cannot believe what he is hearing.

“<I won’t kill you Kisho.>”

“<If you can’t kill, you can’t lead a gang.>”  

“<Why should I want to kill you?>”

“<You want my position. Before we came here I told the guys to appreciate you as new leader when you should kill me.>”

“<But why?>”

“<I give you one minute, then I’ll attack.>”

Eiji’s hand starts to shake. He thinks of Ash, Shorter, Griffin, the little Skip, everyone he encountered in America, everyone they had lost and how much they took to come this far. And for a second he puts all his morals aside and cuts through the flesh, he cuts the blood vessels and the man in front of him sinks to his knees. Eiji feels numb for a while. He stands there motionless and watches Kisho bleeding to death. Eiji’s eyes are dull and his skin pale, almost as if a part of him has died, too.  Ash sees that there is only one man standing and so he climbs up the building to check if Eiji was okay. He felt relieved when he saw his best friend still up on both of his feet. Ash approached him from behind but when he turned to see his friend’s face he knew what was going on in his head. The moonlight shines on the rooftop: one dead body and two killers. With Eiji now being one of them.                 


End file.
